Display-cabinet.



No. 686,38l. Patented Nov. I2, l90l.

' G. W. BARNETT.

DISPLAY CABINET.

(Application filed Feb. 14. 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheats-Sheet l.

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No. 686,38l.v Patented Nov. l2, I901.

G. W. BARNETT; T

DISPLAY CABINET.

(Application filed Feb. 14. 1901.;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BARNETT, OF KEOKUK, IOWA.

DISPLAY-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,381, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed February 14, 190 1. Serial No. 47,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, GEORGE W. BARNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Koo kuk, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Display- Oabinet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to display=cabinets; and the object of the same is to provide a device of this class which is especially designed for conveniently exposing advertising matter and general information pertaining to certain localities or places of such a nature that a user can readily ascertain either the names and addresses of certain classes of merchants or tradesmen, as well as descriptive matter, or explanations concerning States, counties, cities, and towns, and thereby serve as a directory embodying more complete information than is possible in the ordinary sources of similar instruction. The improved device is also structurally designed for convenience in operation and simplicity and the parts employed to coact to produce the result sought.

With these and other objects and advantagesin view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed and subject to such variations in the form, size, proportions, and

minor detailsas the principle and scope of the invention will permit.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display-cabinet embodying the features of the invention.

through and on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a portion of the device. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of one upper corner portion of the cabinet, showing means for adjusting the'driving devices. Fig.1

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, partially broken sired contour or ornamentation. The front .of the cabinet is formed with an enlarged opening 2, located between upper and lower panels 3 and vertical corner rails or posts at. At an intermediate point in'the interior of the cabinet a shaft 5 is rotatably mounted and engages bearing-plates 6, secured to the innor surface of the cabinet ends, the said plates having arms to receive fastening devices to prevent the same from loosening, as shown by Fig. 3, the shaft ends entering the centers of the plates. The said shaft extends completely from one end to the other of the cabinet, and near one of the cabinet ends a drivesprocket f7 and driving spur-gear 8 are secured on the shaft, the spur-gear being ongaged by a pinion 9 on a short shaft 10, projecting through the end of the cabinet and havinga crank-handle 11 thereon for operating the same. On the opposite end of the shaft 5 a sprocket-wheel, similar to the wheel 7, is secured, and at points above and below the shaft other sprocket-wheels 12 and 13 are mounted on studs 14:, the lower studs for the wheels 13 being held by plates 15, with arms for stable securing purposes, and the upper studs for the wheels 12 being carried by the lower portions of hangers 16. The hangers 16 have lower laterally-projecting arms 1'] to brace and steady the same in their adjustment, and at an intermediate point each hanger is formed with i a longitudinal slot 18 for the insertion therethrough of adjusting-bolts 19, guards 20 being located at opposite side edges of the hanger adjacent said slot to prevent the nuts on the bolts from accidentally loosening. The upper eX- tremity of the hanger is in the form of arightangular bearing 21 and receives an adjusting-bolt 22, which projects through the top "of the cabinet and has a winged or other suitable adjusting-nut 23applied thereto for controlling the vertical elevation of the hanger as an entirety and regulate the tension of the motion-imparting devices which engage the sprocket-Wheels, and thereby pre-' vent the latter from having too much slack. The sprocket-wheels 7,12, and 13 are engaged by endlesschain belts, said-belts being held vertically straight in rearof the I IIO Opening 2 in the cabinet and located at the front behind the rails or posts 4:. At regular intervals on the belts are alined pairs of inwardly-projecting carriers 2+2 and holders 25, the carriers having inner terminal T- heads 26 and the holders outwardly-projecting right-angular bearing extensions 27. The T-heads of the carriers are secured to the rear sides of slats 28, extending fully across the opening 2 in horizontal planes and parallel openings being formed between contiguous edges of thesaid slats where the holders are located. The opposite ends of the slats are behind the rails or posts 4 and have metal clips 29 on the upper and lower edges for removably receiving and holding elongated cards or similar devices 30 for displaying advertising or other matter suitably applied thereto, and on the upper edges of the said slats near opposite ends are open outturned hooks 31 for a purpose which will presently appear. The bearing extension 27 of one holder has a round opening therethrough and the extension of the companion holder on the opposite side has a square opening, as shown by Fig. 6, to respectively receive the opposite journals of a spring-roller 32, the said journals being of the same shape as the openings in the extensions, as set forth, and the squared journal located at the spring end of the roller. On the several rollers webs or sheets 33, of suitable material, having any preferred length and width, are secured and adapted to be rolled, as shown, and to the outer ends of said webs or sheets stretcher or spreader rods Set are fastened and are of greater length than the Width of the webs or sheets to engage the hooks 31, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, to prevent the said outer ends of the webs or sheets from becoming inaccessible by winding too far or irregularly around the rollers and also to hold the parts of the webs or sheets in close confinement between the edges of the slats and avoid movement of any portion thereof inwardly between the chain belts. This retention of the outer ends of the webs or sheets will avoid any liability of entanglement of the same with the mechanism within and also always have said rods in a position within easy reach, so that they may be drawn from the hooks when it is desired to inspect theseveral Webs or sheets. To facilitate removal of the rods 34 from the edges of the slats and the hooks on the latter, as well as to pull the webs or sheets from the rollers, pullloops or analogous devices 35 are secured to the centers of said rods. On the webs or sheets information of different natures will be printed or otherwise applied, and in some instances this information may correspond to the adjacent advertisement, though this is not actually necessary.

The improved device will be found exceptionally convenient for many purposes other than that specifically set forth, and in View of the simplicity of construction the cost of manufacture will be reduced to a minimum. It will be seen that by operating the crankhandle the chain belts will be shifted and the slats and rollers carrying the Webs correspondingly moved behind the opening 2. It is intended to completely take up the length of the belts with the devices set forth, and by this means a great amount of advertising or other information will be contained within the cabinet and regularly brought into inspecting or engaging position in the opening 2.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1'. In a display-cabinet, the combination with opposite chain belts, of slats terminally secured thereto and having spaces between contiguous edges thereof, and spring-rollers also terminally held by said belts and located between the slat edges, the said rollers having webs or sheets thereon containing information and the slats also provided with indicating or other matter.

2. In a device of the class set forth, the combination with a cabinet having a front opening, and chain belts movably mounted in opposite end portions of the said cabinet, of slats terminally secured to the said belts and hav ing spaces between the contiguous edges thereof, outturned open hooks secured on the upper edges of the slats, spring-rollers also terminally held by the said belts and located in the spaces between the slat edges, the said rollers having webs or sheets thereon, and

spreaders or stretchers secured to the outer ends of the webs or sheets and in engagement with the said hooks when the webs or sheets are rolled.

3. In a device of the class set forth, the combination with a cabinet having a front opening, and chain belts movably mounted in opposite end portions of the said cabinet, of Iongitudinally-alined pairs of carriers and holders secured to the said belts at intervals, the carriers having inner heads and the holders inner outwardlyextending angular extensions, and slats and rollers respectively applied to the carriers and holders and provided with advertising or general information matter exposable. through the said cabinetopening.

4. In a device of the class set forth, the combination with a cabinet having an opening in the front portion thereof, of chain belts located at opposite end portions of the cabinet, upper, intermediate and lower sprocketwheels engaged by said belts, gearing for moving the said belts, vertically-adj ustable hangers carrying the upper sprocket-wheels for regulating the tension on the chain belts, the lower portions of the hangers having inwardly-projecting integral studs to rotatably receive the upper sprocket-wheels and also provided with inwardly directed angular ends, the latter ends being formed with screwthreaded apertures, the hangers also having longitudinal slots and lower laterally-projecting arms, adjustable bolts projecting from the top of the cabinet and engaging said angular ends of the hangers, adjustable bolts engaging the hanger-slots, and information devices carried by the belts for movement in rear of and exposure through the cabinetopening'.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

G. W. BARNETT.

Witnesses:

F. A. HARRISON, S. VOGEL. 

